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Takatora Kureshima
is , later becoming . He is Mitsuzane Kureshima's older brother, who was a project leader in the Research and Development branch of the Yggdrasill Corporation until he finds out the company has been compromised, planned by Ryoma, even his own brother took over his position as their true leader. This causes him to team up with his old enemy, Kouta Kazuraba. Character History At some point prior to the beginning of the story, Takatora was instrumental in testing the early prototypes of the Sengoku Driver. Though he suffered physical harm and scars from setbacks, he uses the Melon Lock Seed and a finalized Sengoku Driver prototype to become Kamen Rider Zangetsu to deal with the Inves in Helheim Forest. Despite his questionable methods, his intentions are well-meaning, proven from the fact that he instructed Ryoma to lower the specs of the Sengoku Driver to facilitate easier mass production, so to save more people, instead of hoarding power to himself. After the development of the Genesis Drivers and his new transformation into Kamen Rider Zangetsu Shin, Takatora deems the Beat Riders to have outlived their usefulness. After learning that Mitsuzane was made an Armored Rider behind his back, Takatora shows his younger brother the ruins in Helheim Forest to convince him to help him for the greater good. When meeting Kouta and showing him the ruins, Takatora sees the same ideals he once embodied in the youth and it only makes him more adamant to crush Kouta's spirit. He succeeds when he reveals to Kouta that in his first battle as Armored Rider Gaim, he killed his friend Yuya Sumii who had been transformed into the White Tiger Inves. However, Takatora later is shocked that the revelation has the opposite effect on Kouta, who destroys Yggdrasill's Scalar System. After Mitsuzane reports to the group that DJ Sagara is helping Kouta, concealing the full story of the Overlord Inves, Takatora does not believe these turn of events at first. However, Takatora learns the truth when he confronts one of the Overlords leading an attack on the research team with Kouta informing him of how the type of Inves may be instrumental in stopping Helheim Forest's expansion. Seeing a way to stop the invasion without massive sacrifices, he decides to ally with Kouta to stop the Overlords. However, Takatora is oblivious to the fact that Ryoma's group is conspiring against him. This becomes Takatora's downfall as he is usurped by Ryoma's group and loses his Genesis Driver while being subsequently thrown off a cliff. Personality his place, making it clear that his Beat Rider show is nothing more than propaganda.]] Though a ruthless realist, Takatora still loves his family and spoils his younger brother, and especially cares about Mitsuzane's education. He is the most experienced and most powerful Armored Rider to date. In order to teach Gaim a lesson, who entered the Forest without his permission, without knowing that he's only looking for his friend, he brutally attacks him despite Kouta having no intention to fight him to make his point - that power given by the Lockseeds and Sengoku Driver is no game, letting Kouta go after clearly being the winner. Despite his sense of realisim, he can show signs of arrogance and his wealthy upbringing has mildly affected his view of the world. He sometimes refers to the other Armored Riders as "street trash" that are beneath him and not worthy of his attention,the exception being if they directly interfere with his plans. He also seems to have a bit of a temper when pressured, as seen when Kurokage provokes him while he was trying to reach his staff to rescue them from the Inves swarm. This caused him to have an angry outburst and unintentionally damage Ryoji's Sengoku Driver with a furious blow of sword slashes. As stated by him back when he first encountered Gaim, he knows the Lockseeds carry a dangerous disease, which is also seen when he tries to warn Hase not to eat the immature fruit. Under his ruthless realist personality shows that Takatora does have hidden feelings, grieving that he is only able to save about a billion of the Earth's population. More of this side is show when he takes care of Oren after Oren takes a lethal hit that disrupts his transformation as he falls into his arms. In addition, he finally lightens up, handshaking Kouta and thanking him for giving him an alternative means to save humanity rather than culling the world's population through Project Ark. Arms Like the other Armored and New Generation Riders, Kamen Rider Zangetsu/Zangetsu Shin's forms are called . All of his Japanese Samurai-themed Arms' helmets share the title , while his visors share the title . - Melon= Melon Arms *'Height': 206 cm. *'Weight': 109 kg. Ability Perimeters: *'Punching power': 10.2 t. *'Kicking power': 13 t. *'Maximum jump height': 24 m. *'Maximum running speed': 100 m. per 6.1 sec. is Zangetsu's default muskmelon-based armored Japanese Samurai form. Accessed through the Melon Lockseed, this form's Arms Weapon is the Melon Defender, while the helmet Zangetsu wears is the with the visor. This form debuts in episode 2. In the power stats, Zangetsu dominates by hitting harder than Gridon's hardest punch and Gaim/Kurokage's fiercest kicks. In terms of agility though, he outjumps Gaim in Pine Arms by two whole meters, and is about as fast as Baron in Banana Arms. He also uses acceleration in sneak attacks and close combat. Appearances: Episode 2, 4, 9, Sengoku Movie Battle, 10-11, 27 - Rider Arms= is a special form, based on Kamen Rider Fourze's Base States, exclusive to Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Gaim & Wizard: The Fateful Sengoku Movie Battle. Accessed through the Fourze Lockseed, this form's Arms Weapon is the Rocket Module. - Decade= Decade Arms is Gaim's Kamen Rider Decade-based armored form. Accessed through the Decade Lockseed, this form's Arms Weapon is the Ride Booker. In Kamen Rider Battle: Ganbarizing, it is locked to a special Zangetsu Ganbarizing Card, along with Ichigo Arms. }} - Hyper Battle Arms= Only exclusive to Kamen Rider Gaim Hyper Battle DVD: Fresh Orange Arms is Born!. is Zangetsu's strawberry-based armored Japanese Ninja form. Accessed through the Ichigo Lockseed, this form's Arms Weapon is the Ichigo Kunai, while the helmet Zangetsu wears is the with the visor. In Kamen Rider Battle: Ganbarizing, it is locked to a special Zangetsu Ganbarizing Card, along with Decade Arms. - Mango= Mango Arms is Zangetsu's mango-based armored European Knight form. Accessed through the Mango Lockseed, this form's Arms Weapon is the Mango Punisher, while the helmet Zangetsu wears is the with the visor. In Kamen Rider Battle: Ganbarizing, it is locked to a special Zangetsu Ganbarizing Card, along with Budou Arms. In an earlier promotion, Zangetsu Shin is shown to use the Mango Lockseed in the Genesis Driver, not Zangetsu. - Budou= Budou Arms is Zangetsu's grape-based armored Chinese Soldier form. Accessed through the Budou Lockseed, this form's Arms Weapon is the Budou Ryuhou, while the helmet Zangetsu wears is the with the visor. In Kamen Rider Battle: Ganbarizing, it is locked to a special Zangetsu Ganbarizing Card, along with Mango Arms. }} }} - Zangetsu Shin= - Melon Energy= Melon Energy Arms *'Height': 206 cm. *'Weight': 109 kg. Ability Perimeters: *'Punching power': 14.3 t. *'Kicking power': 18.2 t. *'Maximum jump height': 24 m. *'Maximum running speed': 100 m. per 6.1 sec. is Zangetsu Shin's default cantaloupe-based armored Japanese Samurai form, as well as the evolved form of Zangetsu. Accessed through the Melon Energy Lockseed, this form's Arms Weapon is the Sonic Arrow, while the helmet Zangetsu Shin wears is the with the visor. This form debuts in episode 12. As expected, the evolution to Melon Energy Arms has boosted Zangetsu Shin's power, with his punching and kicking power increased exponentially. The only thing that hasn't changed, however, is the jumping height and the maximum running speed. Compared to his fellow New Generation Riders, Zangetsu Shin can throw the 2nd hardest punch and his kicks are the third strongest. His agility stats, however, are about average. Appearances: Episodes 12-14, 19-20, 22-23, Kamen Rider Taisen, 27-28 }} }} Equipment *Transformation devices: **Sengoku Driver - As Zangetsu **Genesis Driver - As Zangetsu Shin *Musou Saber - Side weapon, as Zangetsu *Arms Weapons: **Zangetsu: ***Melon Defender - Zangetsu Melon Arms' personal weapon ***Rocket Module - Zangetsu Fourze Arms' personal weapon ***Ichigo Kunai - Zangetsu Ichigo Arms' personal weapons ***Mango Punisher - Zangetsu Mango Arms' personal weapon ***Budou Ryuhou - Zangetsu Budou Arms' personal weapon **Zangetsu Shin: ***Sonic Arrow - Zangetsu Shin Melon Energy Arms' personal weapon *Lockseeds - Gives access to Zangetsu/Zangetsu Shin's form changes, depending on which arm the lock is List of Appearances *''Kamen Rider Gaim'' **2, 4-24, 26-28 *''Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Gaim & Wizard: The Fateful Sengoku Movie Battle'' **''Kamen Rider Gaim: Sengoku Battle Royale'' *''Heisei Rider vs. Showa Rider: Kamen Rider Taisen feat. Super Sentai'' **''Ressha Sentai ToQger Vs. Kamen Rider Gaim Spring Vacation Combining Special'' Behind the Scenes Portrayal Takatora Kureshima is portrayed by , who previously portrayed Kakashi in Garo: Soukoku no Maryu. As Kamen Rider Zangetsu, his suit actor is , who was previously the suit actor for Kamen Rider Beast, Phoenix and White Wizard in Kamen Rider Wizard.Uchusen, Vol. 142 Notes *Gen Urobuchi, the head writer of Kamen Rider Gaim, has referred to Zangetsu as the "Ouja" of this series, possibly referring to his status as either a counterpart to the main Rider, Ouja's homicidal tendencies, or both. **As the series moves on, it is a high possibility that his resembles Ouja is the way to act in the world of battle he is involved. Ouja followed the rule of the Rider Battle by killing the other riders. While Zangetsu followed the rule of Yggdrasill to protect people's humanity and killed people who turned into Inves without hesitation, even though he notices this. *Kamen Rider Zangetsu bears a passing resemblence to the Perfect Form of N-Daguva-Zeba in Kamen Rider Kuuga, being predominantly white with large, gold crown-like horns on his head and bulky armor across his shoulders and chest. *Like the original Kamen Rider G3/Makoto Hikawa, Zangetsu gets two different transformation devices. *Takatora's Rider alias is also the name of the main character's blade in the long running anime/manga series Bleach. **In continuing the similarities with Bleach, Takatora is similar to the character Hollow Ichigo or Zangetsu. Aside from sharing the same name, both are white and are associated with mask. They both have assisted the main characters at least once. Both are counterparts to the main character of their series. They both use the same weapon and powers as the protagonist. *Takatora having the Fourze Lockseed for the Movie War film is a sense of irony, as the Rider the Lockseed represents is almost the exact opposite of Takatora in terms of personality. **However, him using the Lockseed foreshadows his next transformation into Zangetsu Shin as his pre-Arms is similar to Fourze's Base State. *Zangetsu Melon Arms' transformation announcement phrase, , is also part of the final line of the ' roll call phrase. *When Zangetsu becomes Zangetsu Shin, this gives him the similarities to Kamen Riders 1 and 2 as when they were upgraded, they gained the title "Shin", though the Double Riders never did refer to themselves as such. However Double Riders's "Shin 新" means "New" and Zangetsu's "Shin 真" means "True" **It also bears some similarities with Kamen Rider G3's upgrade to G3-X as it's a permanent switch instead of a simple form change like most Riders. **Zangetsu Shin's facial features slightly resemble that of Kamen Rider Agito's personal emblem. **Zangetsu Shin's body without any Arms on resembles Kamen Rider Fourze in Base States. *Takatora is the first Kamen Rider from the Gaim series to be both an Armored Rider and a New Generation Rider, followed by Kaito Kumon. *Taktatora throwing his Melon Lockseed into the air above him and catching it prior to transforming is a possible homage to how Hideyuki Kagawa and Leo threw their respective transformation devices (the Advent Deck and the Psyga Phone) above them and catching it before transforming into the Rider form. *He shares some similarities with Kamen Rider Wiseman from the previous series: **While his real identity as Zangetsu is hidden, he is known as the White Armored Rider, while Wiseman is referred to as the White Wizard. **They both have family relationships with the main Rider's allies. **They both act for their own views of the greater good. *He is the only New Generation Rider to not have an ulterior motive. Legend Rider Lockseeds *In addition to the Fourze Lockseed, the following toyline-exclusive Legend Rider Lockseeds are also styled for Zangetsu: **Stronger **ZO **Agito **Ryuki ***Ryuki Survive **Hibiki **Momotaros References Category:Kamen Rider Gaim Category:Kamen Riders Category:Neo-Heisei Era Riders Category:Heisei Era Riders Category:Mystic Riders Category:Restricted-use Riders Category:Relatives Category:Gaim Riders Category:Rival Category:Antiheroes Category:Extra Riders Category:Heroes Category:Armored Riders Category:New Generation Riders Category:Evil turns good